1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and a data processing method preferably used in MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals) having a plurality of functions such as a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function and a facsimile function.
2. Description of Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
MFPs as mentioned above are provided with a plurality of input means to execute the aforementioned multiple functions. The examples of such input means include a receiving portion for receiving a print job transmitted from an external apparatus such as a personal computer via a network, a receiving portion for receiving a facsimile (FAX) job transmitted from an external apparatus such as a FAX apparatus via a communication line network, and an original reading portion for reading originals.
MFPs are further provided with a printer portion for printing, for example, image data read by the aforementioned original reading portion and/or print data transmitted from the aforementioned external apparatus and a transmitting portion for transmitting the image data or the like read by the aforementioned original reading portion to the outside. Furthermore, MFPs are provided with a file memory for storing data inputted from each inputting means.
For the purpose of decreasing the storage capacity of the data to be stored in the file memory, in general, a compressing/expanding device for compressing/expanding the data is provided. The inputted data is transferred to the compressing/expanding device to be compressed, and then this compressed data is stored in the file memory.
In these MFPs, there is a case that a job (external job) transmitted from an external apparatus and a scanning job to transmit image data of an original read by an original reading portion to the outside are inputted simultaneously and that requests of processing both jobs by the compressing/expanding device (a request to use the compressing device at the time of data input and a request to use the expanding device at the time of data output) overlap. For example, it is the case that a request to execute compression or expansion processing of image data of an original by activating a scanning job is made when external job data is being compressed or expanded.
In this case, conventionally, the scanning job is executed after the termination of the external job or between the pages of the external job. However, even in the case where the external job is not a job to be printed quickly, the user who instructed the scanning job always has to wait.
Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 10-278388 discloses that a next job will be outputted by priority in cases where the next job is inputted during the standby status of a confirmation print.
Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 8-44515 discloses that a job with a small amount of data is outputted by priority.
In the technique disclosed in the aforementioned documents, however, since such next job or job with small amount of data will be always executed by priority, in cases where an earlier inputted external job is required to be executed before the execution of the next job or an external job is not required to be executed by priority even if the data amount of the external job is smaller than that of the scanning job, the technique cannot cope with such cases. Therefore, the operationality was not good.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.